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All posts by Fagan Jewelers

How Gemstones Are Graded While gemstones have similar quality factors as diamonds (cut, clarity, color and cut), they are valued differently for gemstones. For example, color is by far the most important C for colored gemstones, whereas cut is usually considered the most important C for diamonds. Gemstone Color Most colored gemstones derive their beauty from their color – purples, blues, greens, yellows, oranges, reds. Three factors relate to .

Diamonds may be the hardest substance known to man, but they still can be damaged, abraded or scratched. Use the following guidelines to ensure your diamond jewelry retains its beauty for years to come: Don’t jumble your diamond jewelry with other pieces, because diamonds can scratch other jewelry and each other. Keep your diamond jewelry in a fabric-lined jewel case or in a box with compartments or dividers. Don’t .

Diamonds and gemstones are cut into many different shapes, each with their own aesthetic and cutting requirements. While diamond and gem shapes are sometimes referred to as the cut (for example an emerald-cut diamond), the cut refers to how a jeweler cuts the gemstone to achieve its symmetry and proportion. Most people are familiar with the round solitaire diamond and common “fancy” shapes — which refer to a gemstone .

To many, cut is considered the most important of aspect of a gemstone’s quality and value. Diamond cut affects some of its optical and physical properties including how it reflects light and “sparkles.” The Diamond Cut Process Diamond cut refers to how the jeweler physically cuts the diamond stone into its shape and to the proportions and symmetry that achieve optimal light dispersion, which affects a diamond’s quality and .

Diamonds come in every color of the spectrum, but the most popular are colorless. Truly colorless, pure white diamonds are extremely rare and, therefore, the most costly. Laboratories, like the Gemological Institute of America (GIA), grade stones according to how far they deviate from the purest white as one of the diamond 4Cs. The best way to see the true color of a diamond is by looking at it .

A diamond’s clarity, one of diamonds 4Cs, is affected by any external and internal characteristics created by nature when the diamond was formed or as a result of the cutting process. Characteristics such as internal spots or lines are called inclusions. Although these marks make each stone unique, the fewer the inclusions, the more valuable the stone. Inclusions can sometimes interfere with the passage of light through the stone, .

Carat weight is one of the 4Cs of diamonds that measures measures a diamond’s weight and size. The term “carat” is derived from the carob seeds that were used to balance scales in ancient times. Today’s metric carat is equal to 200 milligrams, or one-fifth of a gram, and there are approximately 142 carats to an ounce. Carats are further divided into points. There are 100 points in a .

Just about everyone knows what their birthstone is. Why is that? Because people still enjoy folklore associated with the tradition of the birthstone. They like believing that wearing a birthstone brings them good luck and protects them. Early civilization as far back as far back as 1400 BC invested rare and beautiful gemstones with magical powers. Some minerals were thought to have a force or possess certain values and .

For centuries we have been drawn to the beauty, rarity and romance of gold, platinum and silver. Along with more recently developed alternative metals, these materials continue to be used to create fine jewelry that represents the most important milestones, celebrations, achievements, and events in our lives. This guide from Jewelers of America explains what you should know about metals when shopping for fine jewelry. Gold, Platinum, & Silver .